Outpaid

Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary

The BLS estimates 114,430 Detectives and Criminal Investigators jobs in the U.S. with a median base pay of $93,790 (May 2025, SOC 33-3021). Across 112 metros with published figures, medians range from $47,480 in Albuquerque, NM to $158,640 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.

DETECTIVES AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATORS · UNITED STATES · BLS
BLS · UNITED STATES · ALL EMPLOYERS, ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS
P10$55,390P25$69,330MEDIAN$93,790P75$120,520P90$160,540
30 SECONDS · NO SIGNUP · ON-DEVICE

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HIGHEST-PAYING METROS

  1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$158,640 · 280 jobs
  2. Brunswick-St. Simons, GA$158,060 · 240 jobs
  3. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$156,750 · 4,830 jobs
  4. Urban Honolulu, HI$140,750 · 350 jobs
  5. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$128,440 · 490 jobs
  6. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$127,890 · 3,240 jobs
  7. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$127,420 · 1,510 jobs
  8. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$126,700 · 690 jobs
  9. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$124,840 · 2,990 jobs
  10. El Centro, CA$123,970 · 770 jobs

LARGEST METROS

  1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$106,440 · 7,580 jobs
  2. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$156,750 · 4,830 jobs
  3. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$127,890 · 3,240 jobs
  4. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$69,900 · 3,070 jobs
  5. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$124,840 · 2,990 jobs
  6. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$102,260 · 2,290 jobs
  7. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$97,580 · 2,160 jobs
  8. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$99,080 · 2,110 jobs
  9. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$86,390 · 1,870 jobs
  10. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$86,110 · 1,830 jobs

ALL METROS (A–Z)

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA · Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX · Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area · Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX · Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO · Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI · El Paso, TX · Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX · Laredo, TX · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA · McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX · Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI · New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA · San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL · Tucson, AZ · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Questions

What is the median Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in the U.S.?

$93,790 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half earn $69,330–$120,520.

Where do Detectives and Criminal Investigators earn the most?

Highest metro medians: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($158,640), Brunswick-St. Simons, GA ($158,060), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($156,750). Cost of living differs, so compare offers locally.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025 (metro, state and national estimates). Employer filing counts: U.S. DOL OFLC LCA disclosure data FY2026 Q3, visa-sponsored positions only.